Sofia. In January 2015, Bulgaria's exports to the EU increased by 16.7% over the same month of 2014 and amounted to BGN 2.3 billion, according to statistics from the National Statistical Institute (NSI). Major trade partners of Bulgaria were Germany, Italy, Greece, Romania, France and Belgium, which form 70.0% of the exports to EU member countries. Bulgaria's imports from the EU in January 2015 increased slightly compared to the same month of 2014 and amounted at BGN 2.3 billion in CIF prices....

Large blocks of flats with numerous entrances will receive the right to be renovated in sections and not as whole buildings. This is one of the changes under preparation in the national building renovation programme, proposed by the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria.
So far the total number of registered associations of home owners is over 1,600. Over 600 applications for financing have been filed with the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) and over 370...

Sofia. “Sofia is an example of successful multi-financing,” Minister for Regional Development and Public Works Lilyana Pavlova said during the EUROCITIES Forum, a reporter of FOCUS News Agency announced.
"After Bulgaria's EU accession the Regional Development OP provided for resource of about BGN 400 million for integrated public transport. When we started to manage, yet we had no vision of how to do this. With the help of the European Commission was created a unit for integrated public...

The EUROCITIES Forum will be taking place in Sofia, Bulgaria, under the theme “Funding of Public Transport and New Business Models”. EUROCITIES is the network of major cities in Europe and currently gathers the local governments of over 50 of Europe’s largest cities from across 30 European countries. All of them share knowledge and exchange ideas throughout six forums, including the environment and mobility one; a wide range of working groups, events, EU-funded projects, in which EUROCITIES...

Velizar Enchev has a degree in journalism from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.” He was a correspondent of the Bulgarian National Television in former Yugoslavia in the period 1987 – 1993. He was Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Croatia in the period 1997 – 2002. After that Enchev was TV host of a broadcast of SKAT TV. He entered the 43rd National Assembly as MP from the Patriotic Front. After a scandal with one of the leaders of the coalition, Valeri Simeonov, Enchev left the parliamentary...

Wall Street legend and highly successful international investor, author and commodities expert, Jim Rogers has said he is considering investing in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria is among the few countries, in which he is considering investing right now, since they have made the most improvement since his latest trip around the world, the billionaire, currently based in Singapore, said in an interview for Gold Radio Caf?.
He joined the broadcast for a brief discussion on his new book "Street Smarts:...

Westinghouse Electric Company and the Bulgarian government are in talks to set a structure and timeline for their agreement to build a seventh reactor at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant.
The discussions follow the expiry on 31 March of a shareholder agreement the US-based company signed with the previous government in August last year. Under that agreement, Westinghouse would be responsible for providing all of the plant equipment, design, engineering and fuel for the new unit.
At that time,...

”We have to complete the second and third stage of the Largo construction in the frames of 200 days,” said Eng. Rosen Koleliev, manager of a firm from the construction sector, speaking for FOCUS News Agency.
”This is a project which entered the stage of construction with difficulty. It is envisaged there will be a zone for displaying archaeological [findings], a zone where dismounted archaeological structures will be exhibited, a space for stage activity, zones for collections,” Eng. Koleliev...

Best Bulgarian male tennis player Grigor Dimitrov has qualified for the second round of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters doubles.
Dimitrov and his Belarusian partner Max Mirnyi defeated Croatia’s Marin Draganja and Finland’s Henri Kontinen 6:1, 6:3 in less than an...

Bulgarian Minister of Economy Bozhidar Lukarski gave Wednesday an interview for Radio FOCUS, commenting on burning topics and announcing some news.
"Legislative amendments will reduce by about 30% the administrative burden on business. The business will save BGN 385 million through these amendments," he said.
"This will reduce [the burden] for businesses to a great extent," the minister was explicit.
He specified there would be amendments to 16 laws, 130 regulatory acts, and 120 acts...

Sofia. Eva Paunova, Bulgarian MEP from the Group of the European People's Party, will take part in the traditional lunch organised by the Council of the Women in Business in Bulgaria, the press office of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (CEDB) party announced.
In the frames of the working lunch Ms Paunova will introduce the council members to her priorities and activities and will exchange ideas and good practices.
The Council of the Women in Business in Bulgaria was...

According to the preliminary data of Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute, in February 2015 the index of production in sector ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 0.3% above the level of the previous month.
In February 2015 working day adjusted data showed a decrease by 1.8% in the construction production, compared to the same month of 2014.
In February 2015 the construction production, calculated from the seasonally adjusted data, was above the level of...

HP announced Tuesday a collaboration with Microsoft for solutions targeted at the automotive, financial services and public sector verticals.
According to HP, its business process as-a-service (BPaaS) solutions for Microsoft Dynamics enhance users' mobile and social experiences with customers.
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“I am happy that I witnessed the signing of this agreement,” US Ambassador to Bulgaria Marcie Ries said after the Bulgarian National Electricity Company (NEK) inked an agreement on changes to the long-term contracts with TPP AES Maritsa Iztok 1 and TPP Kontur Global Maritsa Iztok 3, FOCUS News Agency reporter said.
“These two companies together make the biggest American investment in Bulgaria. We hope that the signing of these agreements will contribute to the establishment of positive image...

Sotir Tsatsarov, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria, met Monday with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Both officials discussed the amendments to the Civil Code of Procedure, the press centre of the Prosecutor’s Office said.
Mr Tsatsarov introduced Mr Borisov to his stance on the draft bill:
The motives to the tabled draft bill say its aim is the establishment of a common approach of principle in determining the Prosecutor’s Office participation in civil court proceedings as well as...

”Over BGN 22 million was generated last year in the district of Smolyan due to nights spend in accommodation establishments, while over 22,000 people work in the sector in the entire Southern Central region,” said Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova, speaking in district centre Smolyan at an off-site sitting of the Regions and National Infrastructure Development Council with the President’s Office themed “State policy on encouraging the economic activity in the poorly developed and...

“After the financial crisis, it was the crisis in Ukraine. No one can choose their parents and neighbours,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said speaking at the first national discussion within the “Yes! To Bulgarian Economy” held in the capital city Sofia, FOCUS News Agency reporter said.
“You see what happened in Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Romania. Life taught me to be patient. In the other countries, speaking of the freedom of the media, it refers to the governments and...

Deputy Mayor of Sofia, Todor Chobanov predicted growth of between 7% and 10% in Bulgaria's tourist sector this year, in a statement earlier this week.
The improved outlook comes on the back of Bulgaria's strengthening economy which recorded its first Q1 budget surplus since 2009, with ?128m in its public purse ripe for re-investment.
Bulgaria's winter sun resorts had a spectacular 2014, recording an increase in visitor numbers of 9.2% to the nation's ski slopes during the season,...

Sweden-based Trelleborg group said in Thursday it is acquiring the outstanding half of the shares in Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Silcotech Bulgaria OOD.
The Bulgarian operation has a production unit in Pernik, 40 km south of Sofia. Its main focus is the production of precision molded seals in liquid silicone rubber (LSR) for various industries including baby care and food processing.
The transaction, in which Trelleborg has utilized an option from 2011 to acquire the outstanding 50%...

Bulgaria plans to keep the Domestic Diplomatic Properties Agency ADIS in state ownership.
The government decided at its weekly meeting on Wednesday to ask Parliament to adopt legislative changes that will put ADIS on the list of companies that must remain state-owned.
ADIS is a full service real estate company, managing its own property portfolio of more than 100,000 square meters.
The proposed changes to the Privatisation Law will ensure Bulgaria’s continued capability to meet its...